THE MOUAT CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17535, 12 May 1925, Page 1

THE MOUAT CASE.

PUBLIC SCRAMBLE FOR SEATS AT HEARING OF MURDER CHARGE.

FLOOR OF COURT COVERED WITH EXHIBITS.

Interest in (he St. Martins mystery was intensified this morning, when Frederick Peter Mouat was placed in the dock at the Supreme Court to answer a charge of having murdered his wife, Ellen Louise Mouat, at St. Martins, on or about February 20 last.

Gong before Ihe doors of ; the C ourt were opened at 10 a.m.. a crowd of men and women had gathered outside in ' the rain. No sooner were the doors thrown open by the police than most of those who wore 1 waiting swarmed in, occupying the gallery. The space below j "as reserved for men called to j serve on the Grand Jury and on common juries. When Mouat’s trial began, the public occupied that space also. A fair number of the crowd lingered outside and craned their necks to get a view of Mouat as he was taken from Ihe prisoners’ van to the

ceils in the Court. Boxes, blankets, a pillow, several bottles, tins of bones, and other exhibits were placed by the detectives on the floor of the Court in front of the jury-box, while a plan of Mount's house was shown on a table.

THE GRAND JURY.

HIS HONOR STATES CROWN CASE. The first reference to the case was made ■when Mr Justice Adams made his charge to the Grand Jury, : afTer the criminal sittings had been opened with the usual solemn formalities. His Honor first dealt with the other charges on the calendar and then recited the main ieatures of the l Crown's ease against Mount. His address lasted about twenty minutes. MAORI BLOOD. The accused his Honor said. hac some Maori blood in bis veins, and apl>eai*ed to have been married about fifhack to New Zealand with his wife in 1921. Some time in 1928 ho took over the denary Hotel, which ho carried on tor about a year. A witness stated that on two occasions while the couple were at the hotel he witnessed assaults by .Monat on his wife. The Mouats "left Cilenaw about August last year and live.! with a. Mrs Hardy in Matheson’s Road lor about ten weeks. They then got a house, Xo 10 Beck-lord-Street, St Martins. The house was bought on a deposit of £IOO and thereafter apparently, monthly i'nslalMOUAT'S MOV E MKXTS j from December 10, 1924 to Ifcbruarx

IH. 1925. Mouat Mas working on drainage works. On February 13 lie told his employer Tie Mas going to Oamaru on business, and he drew £5 saving he Mas nut returning to work. It appeared that he did not go to Oamaru but remained at home. At this time lie seemed to have been in financial diffij cutties and on Thursday. February 19, be appeared to have known that his money was gone. Apparently be told wile that. At about 7.30 that evening Airs WarloMy M ile of the person who sold the house, called for the rent, and she Mas paid a cheque for £lO. This was dishonoured on presentation. Another cheque given by Mount to his brother-in-law was also dishonoured. KYKN.I NG 0F FEBRUAIIV 19. On the evening of Thursday, February 19 James ilceuey, a barman, had tea at Mouat’s, and the three went to Airs Prosser’s house, adjoining in Heck ford Street. Meeney left at nine o’clock, and accused and his wife about ten o'clock. Mrs Prosser saw them to the gate, and that appeared to have been the last time Mrs Mouat was seen alive by anyone except her liusband. It wins 4the custom of Airs Hardy to visit Airs Alouat about Twice a week.* The last occasion she visited her mus on “Wednesday, February IS, and Airs Alouat arranged to meet her in the Square next morning after the arrival of 71. train at a quarter past ten. It would appear that accused knew of this arrangement. Airs Hardy met the 10.15 tram and also- waited for the two following trams from St Alartins. but Mrs Alouat did not conic by any of them. A PIl OJ EXITED TRIP. Alouat and his wife had arranged to go to Dunedin together on Saturday February 21, the arrangement, accused said, being made after they returned from Airs Prosser’s. Mouat and his wife slept together that night. According to .Mouat:"s statements. Airs Alouat left on the following morning (Friday), saying that she Mas going

to meet Airs Hardy, and also stating i hat if she did not conic back lie Mas to meet the express for Dunedin the next day. Alouat understood her to mean the second express. Alouat saw her go away, and he described the costume, jewellery and other articles she Mas -wearing. Alouat said that mas the last lie saw" of his wife. CASE FOR THE CROWN. The case for the Crown mus that Airs Alouat never left the house at any time after her return from Mrs Prosser's at ten o’clock on Thursday. February 19, but that she Mas killed by accused, and that lior body msis destroyed by fire. His Honor said it was not necessary J'or him to do more than indicate generally the nature of the evidence for the Crown. Part of it was scientific. It Mas said by the Crown that the whole of Airs Alouat’s wardrobe bad been found in the bouse, including the costume and other articles tvhioh accused described as being worn by her on the morning of Friday, February 20. also that her handbag, corsets, shoes and artificial teeth Mere found in Ihe> house. The inference ihe jury was asked to drnn from ■this was that she must have left nithout clothing. ATOUAT’S CONDUCT. Then the conduct of Mouat was relied on in a great many particulars. Rearing in mind the fact that Alouat saw his Mile on the morning of Friday, February 2(J. attention Mould bo directed to various facts such as that at four o’clock on the same day, seven hours after she went away to meet Airs Hardie, and after she hail told hint that if she did not come back be was to take her hag to the station—lie sold part of her jewellery to a pawnbroker in Christchurch, and be did not return homo to sleep that night. 11c slept at the Rotherfield. and he also slept there on the three succeeding nights, Saturday, Sunday and Afonday. being about the bouse in No. 10, Beckford Street, part of the day time. MOST IMPORTANT PART OF CASE. By far the most important part of ihe case M'hicli the Crown alleged Mas the evidence to sho** that accused bad jjres burning on his section alter the disappearance of bis n ife ; that fires Merc burning on the section outside, also under the copper and in the fireplace of the dining room ; that on the sit© of these fires bad been found a number of bones and pieces of bone, some of which bad been identified as human bones ; that the bones were smaller than average size ; and that Airs Alouat was a slight woman. His Honor said that there were other circumstances in relation to this, which, he would not enter into, such as the use of Jeyes fluid round the diningroom fire. NO INQUIRY REGARDING lIJS WIFE. Circumstances ■in the conduct of Alouat were also put forward as indicating guilt- his conduct in making no inquiry regarding his wife or pursuing no vigorous search; his action in absenting himself from the house on the evenings and nights following her disappearance; and his getting out of the way at a later stage. All these questions would have to be inquired into with particularity. From the whole of the evidence, his Honor concluded, the jury would have no doubt that the case ought to be sent on to a c —imon jury and that accused ought to oc put on trial. (CONTINUED ON INSIDE PAGES.)